with whom we had dealings
in the East!" and he laughed thickly.

Then the Great King opened his eyes and knew us and on his dying
features came a look of hate.

"So you have conquered, Egyptian," he said. "Oh! if only I had you again
in the East, whence in my folly I let you go----"

"You would set me in your boat, would you not, whence by the wisdom of
Bes I escaped."

"More than that," he gasped.

"I shall not serve you so," I went on. "I shall leave you to die as a
warrior should upon a fair fought field. But learn, tyrant and murderer,
that the shaft which overthrew you came from the black bow you coveted
and thought you had received, and that this hand loosed it--not at
hazard."

"I guessed it," he whispered.

"Know, too, King, that the lady Amada whom you also coveted, waits to be
my wife; that your mighty army is destroyed, and that Egypt is free by
the hands of Shabaka the Egyptian and Bes the dwarf."

"Shabaka the Egyptian," he muttered, "whom I held and let go because of
a dream and for policy. So, Shabaka, you will wed Amada whom I desired
because I could not take her, and doubtless you will rule in Egypt, for
Pharaoh, I think, is as I am to-day. O Shabaka, you are strong and
a great warrior, but there is something stronger than you in the
world--that which men call Fate. Such success as yours offends the gods.
Look on me, Shabaka, look on the King of kings, the Ruler of the earth,
lying shamed in the dust before you, and, accursed Shabaka! do not call
yourself happy until you see death as near as I do now."

Then he threw his arms wide and died.

We called to soldiers to bear his body and having set the pursuit, with
that royal clay entered into Amada in triumph. It was not a very great
town and the temple was its finest building and thither we wended. In
the outer court we found Pharaoh lying at the point of death, for from
many wounds his life drained out with his flowing blood, nor could the
leeches help him.

"Greeting, Shabaka," he said, "you and the Ethiopians have saved Egypt.
My son is slain in the battle and I too am slain, and who remains to
rule her save you, you and Amada? Would that you had married her at
once, and never left my side. But she was foolish and headstrong and
I--was jealous of you, Shabaka. Forgive me, and farewell."

He spoke no more although he lived a little while.

Karema came from the inner court. She greeted her husband, then turned
and said,

"Lord Sh